Obama and Clinton Teams Set To Join — But Biden's In The Way

Jim Messina, an top advisor in President Obama’s inner circle, is in talks to co-chair a Hillary Clinton 2016 super PAC with Bill Clinton’s former chief of staff. “If she runs,” that is. It’s a major move by Messina, and signals that the party could move into 2016 in a relatively unified state. There’s just one problem: The vice president. If the plan comes to fruition, Messina and John Podesta will join the board of Priorities USA, the super PAC that supplemented Obama’s reelection campaign last year. It could be a big show of party unity, a sign that there won’t be any more Obama-Clinton drama in 2016. But the talks are being held up by Joe Biden.

Biden is considering a 2016 run of his own, and presumably doesn’t like the idea of the team he’s worked with for the past five years immediately demolishing his presidential ambitions. This is one of the biggest things standing in the way of finalizing the deal, as the White House hasn’t okayed the move out of loyalty, or something, to Biden.

Although Clinton supposedly hasn’t yet decided whether or not to run, a massive campaign apparatus is sprouting up around her, and Priorities USA is poised to be a significant part of the machine. It would handle big money donations, while the Ready for Hillary PAC would only accept contributions under $25,000 and tackle grassroots and organizing. EMILYs list would head the campaign's polling operation, while another super PAC called American Bridge would focus on opposition research and rapid media response.

Clinton will have a massive presidential campaign waiting for her, as long as Biden doesn’t keep trying to prevent the inevitable, impending Obama-Clinton conglomerate from forming around her. If Biden continues standing in the way, well, Clinton will have a marginally less massive campaign waiting for her.